Upcoming strike action affecting ScotRail - information on services.

[DarloRich]

Much respect to that Driver for ensuring that the proper procedures were followed, and I sincerely hope the company followed that up by doing the same (mediscreen etc).

They must surely. The RMT should be pressing for confirmation that the correct procedures have been followed. It is unpleasant of course but procedures exist for a reason

 

[Romilly]

As far as I'm aware Scotrail stated in one of their press releases that they would not be providing replacement bus services for strike affected lines.

Generally that's true, but there are a limited number of lines mainly in the more northerly parts of Scotland where a limited replacement bus service is being provided.

 

[paddington]

Still no timetables for tomorrow.

Looks like I won't even know if I'm going to be stranded in the far north on Sunday, until Saturday night.


edit: now that they've failed to deliver tomorrow's timetables before noon, the strike page has quietly been updated from "temporary timetables will be published this morning" to "temporary timetables will be published today".

 

[Romilly]

Timetables for train services on lines with reduced service are now up: timetables for replacement bus services still awaited.

 

[Robertj21a]

Mod note - quote lifted from SR website

Thank you for bearing with us during the strike action on 21 June.

Please know we are definitely open for business, with 70% of services running yesterday. Many rail routes, including Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire, Inverclyde and the Airdrie-Bathgate corridor will run a normal service over the course of the action. While some services will run at a reduced frequency, we do plan to keep adding more trains, as more conductors become available.

We think this strike is totally unnecessary. The RMT say we are planning on having driver-only trains. We are not. We will always schedule a second person on trains to serve our customers. They say it is about safety. It is not. Today, 59% of our customers travel on a train where the doors are safely opened and closed by the driver. The body in charge of regulating safety on the UK rail network – the ORR - say that this is a safe way of working. And we have guaranteed that all of our conductors will keep their job, pay and conditions.

With all this in mind – we just don’t know why we are having a strike at all.

The next strikes have been called for tomorrow, Thursday 23 June, and the weekend of 25/26 June. Get the latest information from our website. We’ll also have extra staff at key stations, to help you get where you need to go.

Plan your journey in advance and keep checking our dedicated webpage for updates and temporary timetables – scotrail.co.uk/strike

Many thanks
The ScotRail Team

 

[Romilly]

One thing that is highlighted by the arrangements being made in connection with the proposed strike is the non-joined-up way in which the train operating companies often work (or, rather, don't work) together.

I was planning to make an evening journey from England, with a change in Edinburgh, to a station in Scotland which has a reduced strike-day service but also has non-Scotrail evening services.

I am told that I can use my Scotrail Advance ticket from Edinburgh to my destination on those non-Scotrail trains. That is certainly helpful.

But to be in Edinburgh in time to catch the last non-Scotrail train to my destination, I need to catch an earlier VTEC train from England to Edinburgh. So the question is: will my VTEC Advance ticket will be accepted on that earlier VTEC train? The Scotrail website tells me to consult VTEC. The VTEC website links me back to the Scotrail website. VTEC customer services aim to reply within 14 days whereas I am travelling tomorrow. What to do?

 

[Starmill]

I agree that's a very poor situation. My hope would be that the ticket office at your origin would hear what you propose to do and choose to endorse your ticket for travel by an earlier VTEC train, if you were able to explain to them.

 

[thenorthern]

There was a picket line outside Edinburgh Waverley station yesterday and people were handing out leaflets about the strike.

 

[Groningen]

So a strike yesterday and a strike tomorrow?

 

[Carntyne]

So a strike yesterday and a strike tomorrow?

And Saturday, Sunday, and the following three Sundays.

 

[Class 170101]

Much respect to that Driver for ensuring that the proper procedures were followed, and I sincerely hope the company followed that up by doing the same (mediscreen etc).

But the driver should equally do the same thing if a regular guard does this.

Unfortunately only one outcome to all this - passengers suffer.

 

[455driver]

Much respect to that Driver for ensuring that the proper procedures were followed, and I sincerely hope the company followed that up by doing the same (mediscreen etc).

I am sure ScotRail will find something the driver has done wrong (or omitted doing) sometime in the near future and 'do the deed' to get rid of him.

Yes my opinion of Rail Management is that low!

 

[XC90]

72% of trains are running today.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

But the driver should equally do the same thing if a regular guard does this. Unfortunately only one outcome to all this - passengers suffer.

Do not forget that now-infamous phrase used many months ago on a thread on this website when passenger inconveniences were said to be "collateral damage"...

 

[leightonbd]

So - after 2 strike days (Sat, Sun) can anyone predict if the 0530 EDB to Aberdeen will run on Momday morning?

 

[XC90]

Aye, it will run. Normal service on Momday.

 

[najaB]

Has anybody used either XC or GR services between Aberdeen/Dundee and Edinburgh on one of the strike days? Are they rammed?

 

[cf111]

Does anyone know who is operating the replacement coaches from Inverness to Aberdeen?

If they're nicer than the Stagecoach coaches which normally operate service 10 then I might take the replacement bus as it turns out I did actually buy train tickets for this journey and if the timetable stays the same it works out OK.

 

[Romilly]

BBC News reported an hour ago a planned extension to the forthcoming Scotrail strikes:

ScotRail staff are to launch a fresh wave of strikes after talks to resolve a row over driver-only trains broke up.
Members of the RMT union were already due to take strike action over the long-running dispute, but extra dates have now been added.
They include two 48-hour strikes and two 24-hour stoppages, with the first due to start on Sunday.
The RMT described the move as "another round of needless, damaging strikes".
ScotRail staff have already staged four walkouts, causing disruption to rail services.
Talks have been taking place to resolve the dispute. However on Friday, conciliation and arbitration service Acas said discussions between the RMT and ScotRail had adjourned "to allow both sides to consider their positions". It added: "Our services remain available."

RMT's revised programme of strike action:
* 00.01 to 23.59 on 3 July
* 00.01 on 10 July to 23.59 on 11 July
* 00.01 to 23.59 on 14 July
* 00.01 on 16 July to 23.59 on 17 July

 

[XC90]

Customers travelling to the Golf Open competition at Troon will be effected if they are travelling by train to Glasgow from Edinburgh / Aberdeen / Stirling / East Kilbride /Barrhead. Services from Glasgow to Troon are DOO and so will be unaffected by the additional strike dates.

Services from the south i.e Stranraer and Dumfries and trains from Glasgow which run via Kilmarnock will be cancelled. These are conductor operated trains.

 

[fraser158]

Well that scuppers my plans for an early start from Edinburgh Park to Linlithgow and a late return on the 16th.

Don't think there's a bus back as late as I need either.

Wouldn't have booked the bloody hotel if they had planned the strike as far in advance.

 

[Kite159]

Well that scuppers my plans for the 16th July.

I must say through, the strikers must be willing to lose some money if they strike on all 6 days this month

 

[XC90]

Well that scuppers my plans for an early start from Edinburgh Park to Linlithgow and a late return on the 16th.

Don't think there's a bus back as late as I need either.

Wouldn't have booked the bloody hotel if they had planned the strike as far in advance.

Maybe you can get a DOO service to uphall or Bathgate and taxi to Linlithgow? Not sure of the Geography in the East.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Well that scuppers my plans for the 16th July.

I must say through, the strikers must be willing to lose some money if they strike on all 6 days this month

This post will be deleted for being off topic. It is not about information on services during the strike. Happened to me.

However, just to clarify - electric services between Edinburgh and North Berwick will be cancelled because, although 380's are DOO trains in the west, once they cross over to the East a conductor needs to step in and work them.

 

[Kite159]

Off topic for mentioning the potential loss of wages for having 6 days in a month?

Regardless what happens, it will be the passengers who suffer, and potentially long term for the railway as those potential passengers will turn to using other forms of transport (i.e. the car) over using the railway in future. Especially if the dispute continues into August, when the Edinburgh festival is on. Will those festival goers risk going by train or will they play it safe and drive to Edinburgh city with the loss of revenue for the railway?

 

[221129]

I am going to be travelling from Glasgow to Ardrossan on the 16th. Am I likely to encounter problems?

 

[najaB]

I am going to be travelling from Glasgow to Ardrossan on the 16th. Am I likely to encounter problems?

Those services have been unaffected by the strikes to date.

 

[221129]

Those services have been unaffected by the strikes to date.

I didn't know if it was likely to be different being on a Saturday not a Sunday

 

[najaB]

I didn't know if it was likely to be different being on a Saturday not a Sunday

I doubt it will be - services that currently are DOO have run more or less to schedule.

 

[cf111]

One direct and one stopping coach at Inverness for Aberdeen, operated by Photoflash. Quite a nice coach, loads of legroom!

 

[yorkie]

This thread is for discussing the impact of the intended industrial action on passengers, and not to discuss the actual dispute itself.